A Dozen Roses for Rose
by Anybodys
Summary: The Doctor decides to annoy Rose by giving her the flower she hates most not once, not twice, but twelve times. So fluffy I think I have rainbows coming out my ears.
1. Prologue

Prologue

At first, affectionate gestures were absent. The kiss on that beach in Norway had been the furthest extent of any signs of something romantic between them; nowadays, it was mostly lovesick glances and shy smiles. It didn't help that Rose had to get used to this sudden surprise. She felt uneasy and unsure around him sometimes, uncomfortable when his hand brushed against hers or when his voice became soft and gentle.

However strange she felt around him, she would remember that his hair was ruffled the same way it was when they would be running during one of their adventures, and how his eyes were still full of the same intense passion they always were. He was still strong, good-natured in some moments and steely-face during others. In moments of solitude as she thought about the Doctor she lost and the Doctor she gained, she felt empty and sad but jubilant and energized all at the same time. She would give an almost apologetic smile into the air. Who knew a time-traveling alien could both fulfill and ruin her life?

No matter how she felt with the Doctor living in her house now, there was always a tang of childlike happiness inside. She had suffered so many nights with a broken heart, feeling as if she wouldn't have the strength to make it through the next day. All those times she had waited for a blue box to show up had finally come true, but it still took some getting used to. Seeing him already dressed and wide awake in early mornings was something she hadn't experienced in what felt like an eternity. Hearing his laugh ringing in her ears was something she had almost forgotten, as well as the way his face broke into smiles. She often forgot her Doctor was there with her now, that she wasn't alone anymore. Nights when she wished for him became better in the mornings when she came out to see him tinkering with something or reading things on the Internet.

It made her feel better seeing him, hearing him, feeling him. She would reach over to run her fingers through her hair and make sure he was really there. He would just send her a reassuring glance that he wouldn't disappear like last time. Rose sometimes would hug his shoulders tightly, burying her head into his shoulder and whispering into the fabric of his shirt, sending her thanks to whatever deity or force had brought him back to her. Occasionally the Doctor would manage to wiggle out his arm and wrap it awkwardly around her. She didn't let go until he murmured something in a soft voice that she never quite understood; something that sounded like her name.

Weeks passed without any advances made. There was always a sort of tension between them when they were alone, bodies close and voices low, but nothing much was ever done about it. February was settling in when the Doctor approached her.

"What's your favorite type of flower?" he asked as she was watching the news.

She looked up at him, her eyebrow cocked. "Why are you asking?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out without me asking. Now, what type of flower do you like?"

"Anything but roses." Rose scrunched up her nose. "That's all I ever got. People thought it was cute 'cause we shared the same name."

"You just hate them because of the name?"

She gave a small nod. "Basically."

"'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,'" the Doctor said. He grinned. "You won't ever give them another chance?"

"They're pretty flowers, I just hate getting them."

He tilted his head, his lively brown eyes fixed on hers. "All right, then." He left the room, Rose watching him with a confused look.

Valentine's Day was coming up. It had something to do with that, she concluded, but still wondered what he was going to do. Knowing the Doctor, it was going to be something definitely unexpected.


	2. 1: A Valentine's Day Cliche

She wasn't quite sure what she was expecting on Valentine's Day. Things between her and the Doctor had been quiet enough, so she hadn't thought he was going to do anything for her. Now, she wasn't so sure.

It was like any other day as she woke up, eyes slowly focusing on her surroundings and mind stirring awake. The waist of her pajama bottoms had twisted and fallen some down her hips; she fixed them as she stood up. She caught a glimpse of her hair as she passed by her mirror on the wall, poofy and messed up as it always was. Her feet were cold as she headed down the hallway, wishing she would have grabbed a pair of socks back in her room. She could never sleep with them on; it drove her crazy.

As she arrived at the kitchen, she wasn't greeted with the Doctor's happy humming or a flash of his toothy smile. She was completely alone; her parents had left for some romantic getaway last night. She left, going to her parents' bedroom to check on the baby. He was fast asleep, tended to by the Doctor the previous night. Rose gently brushed her hand across his forehead before leaving the room, searching for the Doctor. She looked through every room, double checking the places where a certain amount of technological tweaks could be made to no avail.

She sighed, realizing it was getting late. She ran upstairs and grabbed some toast, checking the time. She had returned to her previous job, only helping Torchwood out occasionally. However, that meant she couldn't be late and couldn't wait up for the Doctor. Becoming frustrated and concerned, she dialed the number of the cell phone that had been given to the Doctor.

His voicemail answered her, and she sighed angrily. "Doctor, where are you?" she said into the phone after she was able to leave a message. "I need somebody to watch the baby, and I have to get to work. You need to come back." The phone beeped. She put the phone in her hand down, finishing her toast and rushing off to the bathroom to get ready.

She rushed in the shower, scrubbing her hair and body furiously and drying her body of as fast as she could. She wrapped a towel around her, securing it right below her armpits as she pulled out a hair dryer, wishing that she could defy nature and have it done in a snap. At the moment, she wished there were a clock in the bathroom; she hated not knowing if she was running late or not.

When her hair had reached satisfactory dryness, she hurriedly left the bathroom, starting to turn down the hall when she heard a voice call, "Rose?"

She turned and saw the Doctor there, hands in his suit's pockets. "Rose!" he exclaimed with a smile on his face when he saw her. The smile evaporated as he saw her wrapped in only a towel. "Should I let you finish?" he asked.

"What d'you want?" she asked. "Make it fast, I need to get ready."

"I'll talk to you later. I'm here to take care of the baby." He grinned again.

Rose looked at him for a moment longer before heading to her room, throwing on some clothes and brushing through her semi-dry hair. She looked at her alarm clock, seeing had just enough time to get to work. Grabbing her keys, she went down the hallway, passing by her parents' room and seeing the Doctor cradling the baby. She stopped for a moment, a small smile spreading across her lips as she observed them. The Doctor looked happy, but an entirely different sort of happy she was used to. It was a soothing sort of grin on his face as he cooed softly to the infant in his arms. He lifted his head and saw her, grin widening. "Off you go then," he told her.

She looked at the baby and then back up at him. "Off I go," she repeated. "I'll see you later."

He only nodded in return, looking back down at the baby. She watched them for a few more moments before leaving.

She made it to work right on time. Her mind stayed on the Doctor.

* * *

Her house was silent as she entered, no noise from any electronic devices or people. She paused for a moment by her door, straining her ears for anything. The only thing she heard was the faint hum of her home's heating system. Slowly, she made her way upstairs, looking into each room. She crossed by her parents' bedroom to see the Doctor asleep on the bed. Smiling to herself she entered, she glanced at the baby in the crib for a moment before turning towards the Doctor. She approached him, his legs hanging off the side of the bed and his arms sprawled out. Hesitantly, she reached out her arm, brushing back his hair. Her fingers lingered there, his hair soft as it always was.

He stirred, eyes opening slowly. Looking up at her, a small grin broke across his face. "Hello, Rose," he murmured. He sat up, stretching out his arms. "Sorry you had to catch me like this. I was taking care of him, and when he fell asleep I just sat here and watched him, and well..." He flashed a wide smile. "Anyways. How was work?"

"Slow," she said, "but when isn't it?"

He stood up, adjusting the jacket of his suit. "I'm glad you're home. I wanted to give you something."

"Give me something?" She raised an eyebrow.

He headed for the door. "Yes, I want to give you something." He turned around, holding out his hands. "Stay right here."

Rose watched him leave, her arms loosely crossed as she listened to his footsteps start to die away. He was gone for a few minutes before coming back with a goofy grin on his face, a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a small present wrapped in a red bow in the other. Her jaw dropped, eyes sparkling as the Doctor handed them out. "For you," he said.

"Why'd you do this?" she asked, beaming.

"Because you are my Rose Tyler," he answered, "the most brilliant person in any universe."

She couldn't tell if she was blushing or not. She took the small present out of his hand, glancing at it and back up at him. "Can I open it?"

"It's your present," he said.

Biting her lip, she pulled on the ribbon. It unfurled, allowing her to pull the top off and push away the paper on top. She let out a soft gasp as a necklace came into view. She looked up at the Doctor to see him giving her a different smile, one that was warm and adoring. Her fingers grasped the thin gold chain, pulling it out of the box. At the end of it dangled a miniature version of the TARDIS. "How'd you do that?" she asked softly.

"Custom made," he said. "I've been planning this for a while now, actually." His eyes met hers. "You want me to put it on you?"

She nodded, exchanging the necklace for the flowers. He circled around her, draping the necklace around her neck. He brushed her hair out of the way and over her shoulder, closing the clasp of the necklace. His fingers brushed the back of her neck, giving her goose bumps. They lingered there for a few seconds too long to be considered an accident before he went back around and faced her. "Happy Valentine's Day," he murmured.

Rose smiled and brought the flowers to her face. The flowers were light pink tulips, bright and sweet-smelling. She observed each one, eyes running over them until something peculiar caught her eye. There was a blood-red flower in the middle, different from the tulips around it.

"A rose?" She looked up at him, an eyebrow cocked. "_A rose?_"

The Doctor gave a childish grin, kissing her forehead sweetly. "Happy Valentine's Day," he said again, leaving the room right afterward.

Rose couldn't help but laugh.


	3. 2: Springtime

**A/n: So, I'm not exactly sure what direction this is taking. I wanted it to be light and fun, but this is a more serious, intimate chapter. I don't know if that's how the rest will go, but I guess we'll wait and see.**

* * *

Spring was always an enjoyable time for Rose. When she was young, she would go outside to some park when it was warm, grass tickling her ankles as she ran. She liked to spin around, falling back and watching the clouds rotate wildly until the dizziness went away. Her heart would be in her ears as she looked for any shapes in the clouds, mind light and free. At night she would fall asleep thinking of the days when school would end and summer would finally begin.

When she was older though, things weren't as fun, preparation of finals keeping her in. Still, she was easily sidetracked by the vast sky, reaching over all the buildings and stretching out of sight. Even now she enjoyed sitting out and quietly taking in the sun, warm against her bare skin. This year was no different. One day in late March she slinked out her backdoor, sitting in one of the chairs set up in the backyard. It was particularly calm today; it helped their house was a moderate distance away from the rest of civilization. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as she leaned back, thoughts going silent. Eventually, she started to doze off, eyes closed and head slumping towards her shoulder.

She didn't know how long she was like that when she awoke. Disoriented, she squinted her eyes in the bright sunlight and looked around, seeing a figure sitting beside her in another chair. Sitting up, the figure became easier to see. The Doctor's lopsided grin came into view first; soon after were his gentle chocolate eyes and the soft creases in his forehead. His hands were folded over his lap, legs hanging over the side of the chair he was sitting in. "Pardon me," he said, "I was just coming out here to tell you it's almost six o'clock."

"Six?" she murmured. "I don' have a sunburn, do I?"

He shook his head. "Your mother wants you inside for dinner, however."

She rubbed her eyes, giving a tired sigh before getting up. The Doctor walked with her inside, wordlessly following her upstairs to the dining room. The table was already set, no food set on it yet. As Rose and the Doctor entered, her mother pushed the door leading to the kitchen open, a dish full of food in her hand.

"There you are, dear," she said as she saw Rose. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick or anything?"

"'m fine," she said quietly, pushing hair away from her face.

The Doctor went to the kitchen door, opening it up for Jackie to get through.

"D'you need any help?" Rose called.

Rose was met with the Doctor's glance. "I'm helping her, it's no problem." He flashed a grin, closing the door behind him a moment later. Rose sat down in her usual spot, twirling her fork in her hand as she waited.

Her mother came out a few minutes later, carrying two more dishes and setting them down on the table. "Sorry I wasn't there to help," she murmured.

"It's all right, dear," Jackie reassured. "Did you know the Doctor is a better cook than I had thought? I'm not sure if that's something to praise or something else to be annoyed over," she added in a hushed voice.

Rose gave a small grin as Jackie left again. This time the Doctor entered, setting yet another plate down. "What do you want to drink?" he asked, his hands hitting his sides lightly.

"Just water."

He nodded, turning to leave when he looked back at her. "Does your mum think I can't hear her?"

This time she smiled widely, seeing his teeth for a moment before he disappeared back into the kitchen.

It was a few more minutes before both of them came back out, setting drinks on the table. "Your father phoned. He'll be staying at work late," Jackie told Rose as she sat down at the end of the table.

"Okay," Rose mumbled. She saw the Doctor sit down next to her out of the corner of her eye.

Jackie, who had grabbed her silverware already, looked up at Rose. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, just tired," Rose reassured. The Doctor's expression twitched.

Staring at a daughter for a few moments longer, Jackie shrugged it off and started eating.

Rose stayed quiet throughout the meal, the Doctor and her mother occasionally exchanging a few words. When they were finished, Rose silently slipped out of the room, going downstairs and out the backdoor again. There was a gentle breeze now, feeling nice and cool against her skin. She leaned against a beam that supported a balcony above her head.

Everything was quiet. She heard her heart beating in her ears as she looked out at the sky. Behind her, the door opened.

"Are you sure you're okay, Rose?"

It was the Doctor. She paused before answering.

"Feeling nostalgic, I suppose. I always liked springtime. It reminds me of the days before you." She sent a glance towards the Doctor, now leaning against a beam himself, a sad smile on her face. "The days before you. I can barely remember what that was like, not knowing you."

The Doctor readjusted his position. "Do you regret it?"

"Regret what?"

"Coming with me." He now looked over at her, brown eyes burning into her. "Do you ever think it was a mistake?"

She shook her head slowly at first. "No," she said. She shook her head faster. "No, not at all."

"You don't seem too sure."

She inhaled, looking down at the ground. "Being with you was the best time of my life," she started. "Even on the day I stood on that beach and watched you disappear, I couldn't hate going with you. Not many people get to see space, yeah?" She looked up and met his eyes for a moment. "But still, I have those moments and I wonder... what if I had just left? Would my life be better than it is now?" She paused again, mouth still open. "An... and I then I think about you. You would've found somebody else. You didn't need me."

The Doctor met Rose's eyes again, but this time they were red and misty instead of the alert, bright brown they usually were.

She cleared her throat. "I-" Her voice cracked, causing her to stop for a moment. "When we met again, before you were a clone, I saw your new companion and the companion before her." Rose tried smiling, but tears ran down her face. "You didn't need me," she repeated. "You had them. You didn't need me." She looked down suddenly, wiping at her face furiously.

The Doctor watched her, eyes sad and heart heavy. He hesitantly walked towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Rose," he murmured. She lifted her head up rather reluctantly. It hurt to see her cry because of him. "I never wanted you to feel like this," he said. "I did need you, Rose."

"But what about your other companions?" she asked. "You had them and you left them. Did you need them too? Enough to leave them behind with what was and what could have been?"

"Rose," he said again, this time firmer. His eyes were full of sincerity. The lines of his face were hard, the way they were when he was feeling something intense. It was the look that could scare anybody and bring them to their knees; the look that shook one inside and made them listen to every word he said carefully. Rose's heart started beating quickly, a bit frightened of what he was going to say.

"Rose, I need you to listen to me." The grip of his hands tightened around her shoulders. "I've done regrettable things in my life. So many regrettable things the TARDIS wouldn't even have enough room for all of them. One of the worst was watching you disappear. I didn't want to leave you. It almost killed me seeing you cry on that beach, but my life is full of goodbyes. You'd think I get used to it, and I like to pretend that I am. But I never stopped thinking about you. Everyday I wanted to hear your voice. I wanted to see your smile, feel your hand..." He stopped, his stare boring into her. "Rose Tyler, I..." His mouth remained open, but no words came out.

She was trembling as he spoke, heart racing. "Yeah?"

"I..." He stopped again, mouth slowly closing but eyes still staring fiercely at her, as if searching for the words he hadn't said. After a few dreadfully long moments, he brushed her hair away from her face, slowly pressing his lips onto her forehead. He lingered there for an eternity, the world coming to a halt around them. Rose closed her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks as she felt him. Something in his touch told her there was something much greater between them then she had thought, and at the time she wanted nothing more than to be as alone as they were in the TARDIS. She wanted everything to be noiseless other than the sound of his hearts (or heart, now) beating, wrapped up in his arms without anything but the emotion in his touch to be passed between them.

When he finally pulled away, his arms encompassed her, holding her close to him. The tears that ran from her face dampened the shirt he was wearing. She exhaled loudly, shuddering as she took in another breath. His hand came up and stroked her hair, running down her neck slowly before stopping by her shoulderblades.

She felt him, she heard him, and God, how she loved him.

* * *

Two mornings later she awoke and saw a bouquet of flowers on her dresser. On closer inspection she found six dark red carnations, five striped carnations, and one bright, red rose.


	4. 3: At 2 AM

The bouquet she had discovered was never brought into question; instead, that morning when she saw him, she sent a warm smile at him. He returned it with another smile.

Sometimes late at night she thought about the conversation they had that day. Her heart wrenched in her chest as she remembered the way she felt. It was terrible, thinking about being replaced by somebody she loved. It was worse when that person left you again for a second time. She felt like he didn't care, that the possibility of romance between the two was all a silly fantasy concocted in her head. It hurt. It always hurt and it never would stop hurting.

But now, after that time where the sun was setting and she was alone with him, she had something to hold on to. He was a copy, and although at first it had bothered and tortured her, she had realized that the things the copy felt were the things the real Doctor felt. And if the copy carried such an intimate disposition for her, she could stop hurting.

If only it were that easy, though.

When such thoughts persisted to keep her up at night, she would slip out of bed and down the quiet, dark hallway. Often she would find a room with a light on, and inside that room he resided, hair perfectly messy as he worked things with his hands, surveying things through the frames he wore. Some nights she wouldn't tell him she was there and just silently gaze upon him. Other nights, she would, and he would smile widely with his arms out, welcoming her to him. From there, she would observe him wordlessly, fascinated by the things he performed. It was hours before she went back to bed; if she was with him still in very early morning, they would start a conversation, her babbling on about something half-asleep and him grinning lovingly as he listened to her rambles.

Tonight she went to sleep without a problem. She had drifted off quickly without a thought in her mind or a worry tugging at her. Right before she had gone to her room she said goodnight to the Doctor, who was reading another magazine in the living room. From over the rim of the glasses he looked at her, giving her a small nod with a tiny grin on his face and a soft goodnight. The word stayed in her head until she laid down on her mattress.

Normally, she didn't dream. Her mind was always blank, even after large events that struck her deep down. Tonight, however, was different. After she had fallen asleep, fuzzy blobs of random hues appeared, slowly fading into a more focused picture. In front of her was the Doctor, in his blue suit looking statured. His face is solemn, forehead creased and hair waving back in the wind that surrounded him. He didn't say anything for a long time, lips pursed and looking away at something she couldn't see. It seemed like hours before he suddenly jerked his head in her direction, eyes stony as he parted his lips and said plainly, "Goodbye, Rose."

He turned again, walking away from her into a bright light. It surrounding his body, making him look like a god of some sort, being taken away to the place where the divine settled, perhaps among the stars where he belonged. In her ears, she heard a voice scream for him to come back, but he had vanished into the light, not one trace of him left. She felt as if she were going blind while searching for any sign that he was still there, even if it was just a piece of something that had belonged to him, or even something that reminded her of their time spent together. Suddenly she was on her knees, gripping at whatever ground laid beneath her, sobs wracking her body. One word escaped her lips, calling out to the man who had just disappeared.

He wasn't a man, though, he was an alien. A man would have stayed with her, had a little heart. An alien would be foreign to all human feelings. An alien would disregard everything and leave her behind.

_He doesn't love you._

She awoke with a start, heart racing. Her breathing was loud and jagged, filling the silence of her room. Her mind was blank other than the image of the Doctor walking away from her, not looking back despite her screams of protest. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the darkness of her room, shapes becoming more prominent than just shadows on top of one another.

Her eyes drifted to the alarm clock beside her bed. The red light hurt her eyes to look at. It was almost two in the morning. She repositioned herself on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to drift back to sleep. It felt like she had been awake for hours as she observed every little detail of the ceiling, an occasional though passing through her head before disappearing again. Her heart had returned to normal speed, its beating faint in her ears.

After some time, she rolled over again, checking the clock. Only twenty minutes had passed. She sighed, bringing her hands to her face as her dream suddenly came back to her. Her heart became pained every time he heard her name escape her lips, weighted and heavy as he disappeared over and over again, without end, without any hope that maybe this time she could grab him.

Outside her door she heard the quiet shuffling of feet, the floor creaking slightly as well. She sat up, looking in the direction of her partly open door, trying to place herself in a spot where she could stare out. When the door proved to me an obstruction to her view no matter what way she sat, she got out of bed and went to her doorway, placing one hand against the edge. The hallway was devoid of light. She went out into it, turning around the corner and heading down it. As she went on, a sliver of life was found; she followed it to a door that was barely cracked open. She approached it, reaching out her hand to grab the doorknob when it was opened suddenly. Jumping back, she saw the Doctor, glasses on and hair sticking out all over. As he saw her, he jumped himself, blinking at her.

"What are you doing awake?" he asked.

"I was going to ask the same about you," she whispered.

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the room, shutting the door behind him. In front of her lay a variety of tools and metal pieces. It looked like he had been working on whatever he was doing for some time now. "What exactly are you doing?" she asked

"I'll tell you that," he said, moving a few pieces before turning back to her, "when _you_ tell me what you're doing awake." He crossed his arms and gave a cheeky grin.

"I had a nightmare," she murmured.

"A nightmare?" He approached her.

"Yeah, but it was stupid," she said, looking down at her fingers. "Don't worry about it."

"If it was stupid, you wouldn't mind telling me what happened then?" He raised an eyebrow.

She looked up at him, shaking her head. "You- you just disappeared," she said, trying to keep an indifferent expression.

"I disappeared?"

"Yeah," she continued. "You said, 'Goodbye, Rose,' and walked away from me and... disappeared." Her lower lip quivered, tears pooling in her eyes.

His stare was full of concern. "Are you sure you're all right?"

She nodded, but a tear slipped from her eye.

"Rose," he said, eyes clouding with slight hurt.

"I'm fine," she went to say, but her voice cracked. She fell to tears, refusing to look at the Doctor. He suddenly wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him. "It was a dream, Rose. I would never, ever leave you." He rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I'm here for you. You're the only reason I'm here."

The words hit her, causing her heart to flutter. More tears came to her eyes, but this time at the thought the Doctor lived through every day because of her.

"Do you mean that?"

"Yes, I mean that!" He lifted his head, pushing her slightly away and lifting her chin up gently with his fingers. "Rose Tyler, the reason this form of myself is living, breathing, going on is because I have you. I didn't want to think of you going through heartache every day, because if it hurt you as much as it hurt me..." He hesitated, eyes getting red as she stared up with him with wide eyes, tears trickling down her cheeks for an entirely different reason than before. "Rose, I think of you every day, every hour, every minute. Even when I'm not with you, even when I was still on the TARDIS, it was and still is the thought of seeing you that motivates me to keep pushing forward." He stopped, clearing his throat. "I'm not what you would exactly call a romantic. But with you I... if you don't mind clichés, I feel like singing." He gave a laugh. "Do you want me to stop before I get too... mushy?" He wrinkled his nose at the word.

She laughed, tears running down her face. "I think we already reached that point."

"Oh." He gave an embarrassed lopsided smile.

"Don't worry," she said, wiping tears away although they kept coming. "I..." She hugged him, feeling his heart beating through the fabric of his shirt. "I don't know what to say," she murmured.

"It's okay," he said back softly. "Sometimes the best feelings can't be put into words."

She buried her head into his shoulder, tears dampening his shirt. "I love you," she whispered, eyes clenched shut.

He leaned his head over, resting it on top of hers. His hand stroked the back of hers as he murmured something back. She couldn't understand him, but the way he spoke it warmed her inside. For the first time in a long time, she felt secure. If she fell, she had a cushion beneath her, strong arms to hold on when she wanted to let go. He wasn't an apparition like the one on the beach so long ago. They were both new people, both with one heart and a brilliant, magnificent mind.

And he wanted to share it with her.

She didn't know how long they stood there; she soon found herself dozing in his arms. He gently shook her. "How about we get you to bed?" he said softly.

Rose opened her eyes slowly, staring at him sleepily. "Hmm?"

He gave a small smile, his eyes shining as he looked down affectionately on her. "Let's go put you to bed."

"You sound like my mum when I was little," she sighed.

With one arm around her, he took a step forward. Feeling his nudge, she followed him. They left the room and went down the hallway. He led her into her room, pulling back her covers as she laid down. Kneeling beside her bed, he rested his arms on her mattress, eyes filled to the brim with a certain joy that seemed indescribable.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked him.

"I like being with you," he said.

"You don't look at people you like being with like that," she said.

"How am I look at you then?"

"Like..." She paused. "Like you're in love or something."

He grinned, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "Goodnight."

"Wait."

He heard her voice as he stood and turned to leave. Looking back, he answered, "Yes?"

She was staring at him with wide eyes. "Will you stay here with me?"

"What?"

She tilted her head. "You like being with me, and I like being with you," she said. "In that case, will you please stay with me?"

"In your bed?"

"It's not as if we haven't done it before."

"Yes, but your mother wasn't across the hall either."

She grinned. "I'll deal with her."

The Doctor stared at her for a moment before returning the grin and climbing into bed with her. He set his glasses on the side table, turning back and wrapping his arm around her. He exhaled loudly, his fingers resting in her hair, playing with it gently. She nuzzled her head into his shoulder, drifting back to sleep in no time.

He stayed awake for longer, taking in as much of the moment as he could. Something stirred within him; something he hadn't felt in a long time. It worried him at first. He knew the feeling a bit too well, trying to hide it so when the person he connected the feeling to left him it wouldn't hurt as much. It was silly pretending he never felt it, and now, as she fell asleep in his arms, he knew he didn't have to put on a shield anymore. She was going to be with him for the rest of his life.

He fell asleep with a smile.

Jackie found them in the morning, opening the door to wake Rose up when she saw the Doctor's back. Their legs were intertwined, Rose's head resting near his chest. His hand still lay on her head, fingers wrapped around the strands of her hair.

Jackie stared at the two, observing the content look on both of their faces. She didn't jump to any conclusions, seeing as they both had clothes on still. But there was something about the look on her daughter's face that moved her: the look of absolute peace. She hadn't looked anything like that before, and now, in his arms, everything was different.

She closed the door again, leaving the two alone.

The Doctor awoke first, smiling softly as Rose's face came into his view. He ran a finger across her cheek. She didn't wake up for another few minutes, smiling as well when she saw him.

They didn't get out of bed until almost noon.

The bouquet arrived the next day. She found them on her dresser, eleven orange daisies with one red rose. As she admired them, she found a little note on the side. Holding it in the palm of her hand, she read it:

_Quite right, too._


	5. 4: Quiet Rooms

In a house as big as theirs, it was often quiet anywhere within. Sometimes Tony would cry, but with enough distance it was easy for the wailing to fade away. As Rose would walk around her house, she thought of the apartment she had lived in back in her universe- the Doctor she had loved's universe.

Memories that flooded her dampened any good feelings she might have had. The sudden sadness only made her occasional wondering about the original Doctor worse. The one with her had done everything for her, including holding her to his chest in the middle of the night with no words spoken between them, as well as times where they would smile brightly at each other, sometimes laughing over things they did.

But no matter how he tried to tell her he was the same person, here to spend the rest of his life with her and only her, she couldn't keep from doubting him. There was always that gnawing worry, an anxiety that seized her in her best moments with him. It was often the reason she would be upset and the Doctor would cradle her, unknowing that although he was trying to help her fear escalated as he touched her. She didn't want to tell him. She didn't want to hurt him. Not like he had hurt her.

But what if he did it again? Wouldn't it be better to tell him than risk that chance?

Tony was refusing to take a nap today. Rose, steering clear of the infant and her frazzled mother, decided to go downstairs. The thoughts started overtaking her as she remembered finding the Doctor asleep as he tended to the baby. Gripping the stair rail, she tried replacing those thoughts with new ones, although it seemed to be a vain battle.

Turning the corner, she caught a glimpse of ruffled brown hair through the doorway. Approaching it, she saw the Doctor watching a reality show with interest. She stepped into the room timidly, the Doctor glancing over at her after a few steps. "Hello, there," he greeted with a large smile.

"Hi," she breathed, trying to put an end to the worries that ran through her head.

The Doctor studied her for a moment. "Are you alright?"

She stared at him for a second before giving a slow nod. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay." She attempted to grin. "I'm fine."

He gave her a doubtful look, but decided to drop the subject. "Why don't you sit with me?" he said suddenly. "I'm watching this show on the telly and it's astounding how stupid people are."

"Oh, this show?" Rose asked with a slight laugh as she turned to see the television.

"You're familiar with it, then?"

"Yeah," she said, an almost pained grin on her face. "They chose the dumbest people in Britain and make them famous."

"But _why?_" he asked, his face full of confusion.

"To make us feel better about our intelligence, I think," she answered.

She laughed at the TV. The Doctor smiled up at her as she did, looking enchanted as she laughed. "Sit by me," he told her again. He scooted over on the couch, hitting his hand against the cushion. She grinned, running over to sit down.

They were silent as the show went on, laughing when particularly dumb situations occurred. As the show went on commercial break, they looked down at their feet, smiles still on their faces. Rose thought she saw the Doctor staring at her occasionally, ranging from short glimpses to a dazed glance. She wanted to look back at him and see if his eyes glimmered the way that gave her butterflies or if he smiled that certain smile that she couldn't decipher. Imagining it made her heart beat a little louder, senses heightened and romantic thoughts racing. She wondered if he felt the same way back when he thought of her.

Although there had been intimate moments between them, she had this voice in the back of her head that worried that whatever was happening was at the spur of the moment. The Doctor didn't really want to pursue any love affairs; he was just reacting to the brokenness of a girl and maybe getting a little something from it. It was silly thinking of the Doctor as some Casanova-like male; she knew he didn't chase after women. But the fear remained. After all, as close as they were- or seemed to be- things could happen on accident because of hormones.

Near the end of the show, the Doctor's hand brushed against the hamstring of her right leg. Goose bumps pricked at her arms at his unexpected touched. "Sorry," he murmured.

Rose glanced over at him. "You're fine."

The Doctor paused for a moment before running his hand across her leg again, slowly touching her underneath the cut off of her shorts. Her eyes met his again. "Sorry," he repeated, but his eyes sparkled.

She grinned slightly, reaching her hand over to brush some hair away from his forehead. His wide, soft brown eyes watched her. Her fingers moved unhurriedly through his hair, taking time to feel its texture. His eyes glinted brightly, full of an emotion she couldn't describe. As she pulled her hand away, her eyes met his, locked for hours when he leaned over suddenly. He seemed almost hesitant as he moved, lifting a hand up and touching his fingertips to the bottom of her chin as he closed the space between them. They were just centimeters away, her heart pounding as she continued staring at him. There was a small grin on his face as he paused to look at her. She wanted to close her eyes and remember the way his fingers lingered on her skin, but it was interrupted as he closed the gap and brushed his lips over hers.

It happened within a second, so lightly that she wasn't even sure if it happened. His eyes seemed sadder, smile apologetic like he didn't mean to kiss her. She wanted to speak to him, but her mouth was too dry for words. Instead, she kissed him again, gently at first. He seemed like he was tempted to pull away, but he was soon kissing back with more intensity. She responded by pushing her lips harder against his, eager to feel the tiny cracks and grooves within his lips. The kiss deepened, picking up more passion as the seconds ticked by.

The room was filled with the chatter of the television and the quiet smack of lips. As he pushed his body against hers, she leaned back some, letting him loom over her. His tongue ran against the top of her bottom lip; she responded by parting them, allowing him entrance. His hands were wrapped around her waist, running up to her ribcage and down again. Her breaths were loud and jagged, a moan slipping out every so often. Against her lips he murmured, "Oh, Rose," voice quiet and sultry.

She was completely laying down now, her legs resting under his. Her hands ran along his tailbone, her fingertips lightly going up his back. He shivered underneath her touch, pulling away and kissing the left side of her neck. Eyes closed, she craned back her neck, trembling. "I hope my mum or dad doesn't walk in now," she managed to say.

"Why not?" he murmured, going up to her ear. "I think they were both waiting for something like this to happen." He kissed the top of her ear before lightly nibbling it.

Her body quaked underneath him. "Did you want to do this then?"

He pulled his head away, his eyes meeting hers. "I feel like that's not safe to answer."

"Doctor, you have to-" She gasped as he lowered his body almost completely on hers, running his tongue along the collar of her shirt.

"You seem to enjoy this," he said, amusement in his voice.

"We should really do this when my parents aren't home," she said as she felt his hands enter her shirt and go up her torso.

As if to validate her point, the sound of faint footsteps became audible. He sat up quickly, hands abandoning her shirt and running through his hair. She sat up as well, moving down the couch some and pushing her hair behind her ears. Her eyes caught a faint trace of lipstick on his top lip; she reached out and rubbed it off as a foot stepped onto the stair landing. They both sat in a casual position, Rose's legs curled to the side of her while the Doctor leaned his cheek against his fist.

Pete came into view. "What are you two up to?" he asked, coming to sit down.

"Just watching the telly," she answered.

He seemed to believe it; he sat down without a word. Rose and the Doctor glanced at each other. The Doctor seemed rather amused, eyes glimmering.

"Mind if I change the channel?" Pete asked.

"No," Rose answered, holding out the remote.

He grabbed it from her, flipping through the channels. As he was doing that, the Doctor scooted closer to her, their legs barely touching. A small smile crossed her lips, warm eyes fixed on him.

He gave a crooked grin back, hand resting on hers between them.

* * *

That night he came to her room, knocking his knuckle lightly against her doorframe. His eyes were filled to the brim with adoration as he asked her if she needed anybody to spend the night. Rose looked up from her bed, setting her book down as she smiled up at him and rolled over to give him room.

He threw his shirt on the floor as he turned off the light and climbed into bed with her. Their faces rested close to each other, eyes closed as their legs mingled together, intertwined underneath the bed sheets. The Doctor leaned forward and kissed her gently. Her eyes opened at this, seeing him reach out his hand and brush her hair back behind her ear. The only thing she heard was her heart beating in her chest as his eyes met hers. He leaned forward again, pressing his lips against hers another time, this time harder and longer. It was sweet but heavy, masking some unfulfilled passion contained within him.

It made her head spin feeling him. They hadn't done this since she kissed him on the beach in Norway. But she had learned how to start trusting him again, and this was exhilarating. She wanted to taste his lips, feel his bare skin for hours.

He had pulled away already, hand around hers underneath the covers.

"Doctor," she started as her mind drifted to the bouquets she received from him.

"Hmm?"

"Why do you keep getting me roses?"

A grin broke across his face. "Because I know you hate them."

"If you know that, why do you keep getting them?"

"So you remember it's me," he said. "What good am I if I don't bother you from time to time?"

She smiled, burying her head into him.

* * *

Right on schedule, the bouquet came two days later. Eleven pure white lilies surrounded one bright red rose. Smiling, she murmured, "My Doctor," before leaving her room.


	6. 5: Basement Summers

When she had traveled with the Doctor, he had usually kept his distance. Occasionally they would get close, breathing loud and lips brushing across each others, heads nuzzled together. Ever since he became half-human, he seemed much more willing to get physical a lot faster. He had no boundaries, nothing that could snatch her away from him in a snap like before.

Before, when he first came to live with Rose in the parallel universe, he did things like brushing his hand against hers when they were walking or running his fingers up his arm. If she got close to him, he might wrap his arms around her and press his lips to the top of her head. Now, as Jackie wasn't looking, he would pull Rose to him and plant his lips on hers for a moment or two before she turned back around. He might also run his hand down her thigh as they sat alone together, sighing happily in her ear. Rose always felt flustered at his sudden interest in affection, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

It was the middle of summer as Rose sat in the basement, the coldest area of the house. Most days after she came home from work she would sit downstairs with her hot pink toenails showing and adjusting her droopy tank top. The Doctor joined her often when he wasn't working on whatever, their conversations normally ending with Rose curled up in his arms as he murmured things into her hair.

It was great to finally be able to touch him. She would have never been able to listen to his romantic murmurs a few months before. Sometimes she found herself forgetting about the fact another Doctor- just another Doctor that looked just like hers- was flying out there in another universe.

It was approaching mid July when the Doctor didn't show up for their normal couch appointment. She went to go hunt for him, finding him in the room he was in that night she had had a nightmare.

She opened the door after hitting it once with her knuckles, stepping in to see a glowing blue mass in the center of the room. The Doctor, currently kneeling on the ground, spun around. "Rose!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"You never did tell me what you were doing in here," she said, ignoring his question. Looking over at him, she added, "You promised me you would."

He took off his glasses. "It isn't obvious?"

"You're growing the TARDIS," she answered .

"Just think, Rose," he said excitedly, standing up and heading towards her. "You and me, traveling across the stars again." A large grin broke out on his face as he grabbed her shoulders. "We can take the fast road again and not this boring one."

"You think this is boring?"

His smile suddenly disappeared. "I- I didn't mean it like that."

"Then what did you?"

"I just thought maybe you would want to go traveling with me again.

She exhaled. "Doctor, you're only half Time Lord." Her eyes locked on his. "You can't regenerate or have normal Time Lord-y powers."

He cocked his head. "What's your point?"

She gave an exasperated laugh. "My point is it's too dangerous! I don't want to lose you again."

It became quiet, the Doctor's eyes swarming with mixed emotions.

"And besides," she said after a long pause, "I like what we have now."

She shrugged and pulled away from him, closing the door behind her as she left. The Doctor merely stared at her with his intense, emotionally-charged eyes as she disappeared from his view.

To be honest, she had dreamed of flying through galaxies and landing on exotic planets while his rough fingers wrapped around hers. But the more she thought about it, she realized he would only be able to take half the things he was able to before. If he died, it was a game over. There would be no more second chances.

She couldn't bear thinking of it.

Rose settled herself on the couch in the front room of the basement. She sighed as she covered her face with her hands. She hated telling him no, but there were some risks that weren't worth taking.

She didn't know how long she was there for when she heard the sound of muted footsteps on their carpet coming towards her. Her hand remained over her eyes; she knew who was there and she didn't want to talk to him.

"Rose."

His voice was gentle. Hesitantly, she lifted her head from her hands and met soft brown eyes. Her heart fluttered in her chest as he kneeled down.

"You don't want to travel with me?"

"Not if there's a chance that I might not see you again." Her voice wavered as she saw the emotions swirling in his dark irises.

"Why do you think that? You wanted to travel with him."

"But he's a full Time Lord," she said, her vision getting blurry. "You're not."

"So?" A sad grin creeped onto his lips. "It doesn't make it any less fun."

"You don't understand!" she exclaimed. "If you die, you don't come back! Ever!"

His hand reached out for hers, squeezing them as they came into his grip. "Rose-"

"I don't want to lose you, Doctor! I thought you would understand what it's like to lose someone!" she snapped. "Or are you so used to it that it doesn't even matter anymore?"

She regretted the words as his face suddenly filled with pain. The anger within her was short-lived, evaporating as her face displayed a look of shock at what she said.

"Rose," he said again, the word nothing more than a hoarse whisper.

"Doctor-"

He closed his eyes, cutting her off suddenly. Opening them a few moments later, he said, "I'm sorry."

"Doctor-" she started only to be cut off again.

"I thought you would like it."

"I would have if I wasn't so scared of losing you again." Her voice was timid, almost scared to talk.

He shook his head. "It was bad idea."

"No it wasn't," she said, leaning closer to him. "You were thinking of us." He refused to look at her, even as she sighed and laid her head on his chest. "Maybe one day we'll do it. But for now I'm scared."

She hugged him, which he returned. He rested his chin on the top of her head, tightening his embrace. It was silent between them as she felt his heart beat in his chest; one beautiful heart just like hers. After some time she felt him kiss the top of her head, lips heavy while his hand squeezed the fabric of her shirt. She pulled her head away when she felt something wet. The Doctor did the same, allowing Rose to see the tears falling down his face, freely and without any conviction.

"I'm sorry," she said gently. "I didn't mean to say that."

"I know." He attempted to grin, but it had already died.

Burying her head into his chest again, she clenched her hands around him as she took in the scent of his clothes. Traces of a cologne he had become fond of mixed with faint hints of laundry detergent. She inhaled it, the scent of him comforting her, calming any anxiety-ridden emotion she had.

"I'm sorry," she breathed. "I didn't want to make you feel like this."

"It's fine, Rose." His voice was barely audible.

"You're crying." She pulled head away. "If you're crying I must've said something absolutely terrible."

He made another attempt at a grin. This time it managed to last, although feeble. "I'm fine, Rose. Really, I am. I've lost a lot of people." His eyes grew misty as he gripped her shoulders. "But I don't ever want you to think I don't care about losing you." The grin faded. "Do you understand me Rose? I want nothing but the best for you."

She nodded, feeling near tears herself. His eyes bore into hers, his heavy breathing filling the air around them. After a few moments he threw his arms around Rose, hugging her to him, kissing the top of her head furiously. Her eyes clenched touched as she felt him, embracing him tightly, a tear falling from her eye as he breathed, "Oh, Rose."

His breath was hot against her head, her hair rustling every time he exhaled. Fingers creeping up her neck, they intertwined with her hair from underneath, running in circles through it. As he touched her, she felt more tears fall, but for an entirely different reason. After all the waiting, all the hurt and endless crying, she had finally got what she wanted. He was real and tangible, kissing and hugging her back, whispering sweet things to her.

As she found herself becoming lost in her thoughts, she sighed, "I love you."

He paused, lifting his head away from hers. The seconds of silence was agonizing, each one more suspenseful than the last. She almost wanted to take it back; after all, he still hadn't returned it when she had said it before. Maybe this whole intimacy between them was something fictional that she had concocted inside her head, and he was nice enough- or desperate enough- to play along with her. She thought the idea was silly, but still, there as that worry, that everlasting, gnawing worry-

"I love you too."

Her thoughts stopped suddenly at the gentle voice.

"Oh, Rose, I love you too." He managed to tighten his arms as he kissed her head again.

"Stop with that," she told him, pulling away. He let go, looking at her with wide, confused eyes. She gave a small smile and said, "Do this instead." She pushed her lips against his, strong yet romantic. He leaned back some but soon was pushing back, his kiss laced heavily with ardor. He leaned over her, her back pushing against the couch as he grabbed her waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck, goose bumps rising on his arms. He deepened the kiss as he slipped his tongue through her lips, his body as close to hers as possible.

She let out a small moan as his hands moved to her back, resting on her tailbone. She wanted to touch him, feel every part of him, explore his body and share hers, feel his lips running down her bare skin-

"Oh."

The Doctor pulled away from Rose at the new voice, spinning around to see a slightly surprised Pete.

"I'll, uh..." He looked uncomfortable. "I'll let you two be alone." He started back for the stairs. "Carry on."

"Oh my God," Rose gasped, covering her reddening face with her hands.

She heard the Doctor chuckle. "Maybe we should stop doing it in here."

"He saw us," she murmured. "My dad saw us."

She felt the Doctor sit down next to her, hand resting on her thigh. "Well, didn't you hear him?" She lifted her head slightly to see him grinning childishly. "'Carry on,' he said."

Rose had to send a smile back before he leaned in and kissed her yearningly.

* * *

As she came down into the basement the next day in her normal tank top, she was met with a bouquet of eleven bright, sunflowers. A large grin grew on her lips as she approached it, running her hand across one of the flower's petals when she looked in the middle. There the rose sat.

She beamed at it in her silent basement. She had never liked roses until now.


	7. 6: Shopping Days

Rose's days off always brought a smile to her face. Working at the shop was dull most of the time, but she wanted to stay away from Torchwood for a while. On her days off the Doctor would often join her, going around town with her to get away from the house for once. It was refreshing to be around him. Often her arm was wrapped around his, fingertips grasping his forearm lightly. Other times he would grab her hand just like they used to do when they traveled in the TARDIS, laughing merrily as they ran from store to store. It wasn't the same as seeing strange planets, yet it was just as thrilling in a completely different yet wonderful way. The touch of his hand made her heart beat wildly, especially when he gave it a gentle squeeze, a warm smile across his face as her eyes met his.

Today was one of those days. She had woken up late, staring sleepily at her mattress for a minute or two before stumbling out of bed. As she entered the kitchen, she was met with the sight of the Doctor heading towards her, a large grin sprawled across his lips. "Good morning, Rose!" He grabbed her, kissing the top of her head.

"Hello Doctor," she murmured, curious as to why he seemed so chipper.

"Would you like some breakfast?"

"Eggs are fine," she told him. "I can make them."

"I can do it." He went to the refrigerator, opening it and grabbing a carton.

She rested her elbows on the counter as he started the stove. "What do you want?" she asked.

"What?"

"You want something."

"I don't-"

"You want something from me." She smirked as his face broke into a grin.

"I thought maybe you would like to go around town with me again. I know it's been especially hectic for you and you like to rest, but..." He didn't finish his sentence, working on the eggs.

"Of course I'll go with you."

His grin came back. "And for the record," he said as the egg sizzled, "I would make breakfast for you anyday." He kissed the top of her head again.

* * *

It was noon as they left the house. The Doctor, who had only recently learned to drive, attempted to do it himself. He managed to get from their house, secluded from the rest of the world to the town without too much of a hassle. Rose patted his shoulder to confirm that he did well, face breaking out into a grin as she saw how proud of himself he was.

"Right then," he said as he unbuckled himself. "Where do you want to go?"

"Let's just go everywhere," she said. "Like we normally do."

He glanced over at her, a grin growing on his face as he saw the sparkle in her eye. "Let's get started then."

She met him on the sidewalk, going straight to his hand. His fingers wove within hers as they started down, looking at the different stores. Sometimes they would stop in front of one, making fun of current clothing styles. Rose would imitate the dumb positions the models were posed in, making the Doctor laugh. She would laugh with him, wrapping her hand around his again and pulling him to the next store.

Every time she pulled him, a warm feeling would rise inside of him. Her hands weren't as soft as before, slightly showing all the wear they had been through. Still, though, they made him feel secure and stable, something that had become rarer and rarer to feel no matter how much he pretended. Hearing her laugh exhilarated him, her smile contagious. With her, he didn't have to act. He wasn't a full Time Lord flying away; he was stuck on this Earth, unable to leave and half human. But he was with her. She had been what he had craved all that time, even though he had found protection in Martha and friendship in Donna. The thought of her kept him going and allowed him to breathe when he couldn't. It was his brilliant and beautiful Rose Tyler, with him at last. He wanted to spend every living moment with her.

"What's that look for?"

His thoughts cleared his head as Rose's raised eyebrows came into view.

"What look?" he asked her.

She grinned at him. "You are positively _smitten_ with me, aren't you?" He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She laughed, grabbing his forearm. "Come on, I want to look inside of this store."

They entered, loud pop music blaring from the speakers. The shop had a yellow glow to it, young women meandering through the sea of clothes rackets. The Doctor almost regretted walking into a clothing store, but was cut short as he thought of her trying on different things for him.

"I'll try not to take long," Rose told him, as if reading his mind.

"Take as long as you like. After all, I just want to be with you."

Rose gave a half-grin before wandering towards some shirts. He followed her, giving her his thoughts on the items when Rose asked- nothing more than "That's pretty" or "I like that." They both knew he barely cared, but they both continued on, enjoy each others company.

They stopped at a rack of dresses. She started through them, her fingers gently combing through the different hued fabrics. He watched her from the opposite side, a small smile on his face as he saw the way her eyes lit up as she stopped at one dress. She paused, running her hand down the front of the dress. "Oh," she sighed. Looking up at him, she held the dress up. "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked.

It was a strapless, light jade colored dress, ending right underneath the knee. It was simple, the only complexity to it being a thin dark green sash running around the top. The Doctor studied it, his smile growing. "That is," he said. "You should try it on."

Her cheeks tinged pink. "We've been here long enough."

"Try it on for me."

She paused for a moment. "Okay," she said finally. "I'll find my size."

After finding one that fit her, the headed over to the dressing room. He sat in a seat beside the entrance, waiting patiently as she got dressed. A few minutes later she came out, a somewhat embarrassed grin on her face. "Here you go then," she said.

He stood up, approaching her. "You look _magnificent_," he said.

"You think?" She looked down, fingers playing with her dress. "I don't think it looks that nice on me."

"Rose, you look _amazing_."

"You're just saying that." She gave him an accusing look.

"So what if I am? I think you look beautiful and that's enough, isn't it?"

She rolled her eyes, but her grin turned more genuine. "I do like the dress, though. Maybe I'll get it."

"You definitely should."

She bit her lip as she smiled even wider. "I guess I will then. Just for you." She headed back to her dressing room, only to hear the Doctor behind her. "Aren't you going to wait?" she asked him.

"Nah. I want to come with you."

Rose didn't respond for a moment; instead, she looked around. "I think we're alone. I guess you could come."

He grinned devilishly, following her into her stall. As she locked the door, he grabbed around her waist, pulling her to him and kissing her. Her hands snaked up to his biceps, gripping them gently. The kiss lasted for seconds before they pulled away for air. They sent each other the same grin before kissing again, the Doctor pushing Rose against the wall. She shrunk underneath his touch, kissing him with a fiery passion. His heart beat loudly in his ears, rivaled only by the noises their lips made and the muted sounds of the music playing outside of the dressing room.

Her arms now moved to wrap around his neck. She moaned quietly as he traced his tongue across her bottom lip. He pulled away, kissing her temple. "Doctor," she breathed, eyes closed at the velvety touch of his lips. "I need to get dressed."

It was a few moments before he lifted his head, eyes meeting hers. "Okay," he said, reaching over and grabbing her clothing. She waited a moment before pulling off her dress, the Doctor assisting her as best as he could. She hung the dress up while his eyes searched her body. As she turned to get her shirt, she was met with his lips at her neck. She gasped as he bit at her skin teasingly, hands brushing down her hips.

"Was it a good idea to bring you in here?" she murmured.

"Probably not." He went back to kissing her, brushing his lips down her jaw. His breath was warm against her face as he kissed her slowly. each kiss even more enamored than the last. He pushed himself even closer to her, bodies almost touching as he started sucking at her neck. She gasped again, gripping at his shoulders.

"Doctor," she moaned pleasurably, voice sharp. His hands cupped around her lower back, fingers massaging little circles into her skin. As he started running his lips across her collarbone, his hands sauntered up her back, playing with the back of her bra. They were suddenly interrupted at the sound of footsteps within the dressing room. He stopped almost instantly, leaning back and looking in the direction of the door. She held her breath, heart pounding in her ears from both the frenzied touch of his lips and the newcomer.

The footsteps stopped for a few moments; they faded away not too long after they started walking again. "I guess you better get dressed then," he told her.

She sent him an eye roll and a grin, grabbing her clothes that had been dropped in the floor. She put them on quickly, grabbing the dress and heading out with the Doctor. "Mind if I find a pair of shoes to go with this dress?" she said.

He shook his head. "There's a shoe store just down the street, isn't there?" he asked.

"There is."

The cash registers was coming into view. Rose started towards one when the Doctor stopped, looking at a display case of necklaces. It took a few seconds for Rose to realize he wasn't with her anymore. "What are you looking at?" she asked.

"That necklace," he said. "It would look wonderful with your dress."

"Wow," she said, her eyes widening. It was a gold chain, emerald green jewels hanging off the necklace. "That's stunning."

He looked at it for a bit longer until she pulled on his arm. "Come on, then. Maybe I can buy it someday."

He followed her, squeezing her hand. Her eyes met his, her expression warm. A mannequin passed through the Doctor's vision. "Remember when we first met?" he asked her.

She smiled. "Best day of my life."

* * *

She absolutely hated the sound of her alarm go off. Hitting the snooze button, she sighed and buried her head into the pillow. Memories of her shopping trip from a few days prior swirled in her head. She smiled, sitting up to look at her dress, hanging on her closet's door knob. Turning back to her alarm clock, she switched it off when petals caught her eye. Resting on her side table was a bouquet of pale pink orchids, their soft petals bent back slightly. Within all the light hues rested the expected dark red rose. She smiled at it, moving the bouquet to see the dark green necklace they had seen in the store. Her fingers slipped around it, picking it up and studying it before clutching it to her chest. She couldn't wait to wear it.


	8. 7: Large Crowds and Dark Hallways

**A/N: Sorry to spoil, but this is a borderline M-rating type of chapter. I wanted to keep it T, but if you're uncomfortable with sexual stuff, then you might want to skip over this.**

* * *

The first time she wore her dress was at a party her mother threw in celebration of something that had happened at her father's job. She had come home for work to see a crew busily setting up everything, crossing through the hallways silently to get to her bathroom. Normally, she preferred using the bathroom that wasn't connected to anybody's bedroom, but she didn't like to be around everyone while they were preparing. In her bathroom she started getting ready herself, combing her hair up in different ways and fixing her makeup to look especially nice.

As much as she hated taking a long time, she wasn't finished for an hour and a half. She adjusted her dress, slipping on the heels she had bought to go with it before heading for the door. She stopped on the way, a glitter of gold catching her eye. The necklace the Doctor had bought her was on a rack on her dresser. Smiling to herself, she grabbed it and put it around her neck, admiring it for a moment before leaving her room.

The crew had vacated the hallway, the only people walking around now being the servers and such her mother hired for such occasions. Rose had to smile again; Jackie liked having them around at parties, but otherwise she couldn't stand having things such as maids and butlers. She had been so used to doing everything on her own that she grew sick of such services after a short time, preferring to do things by her own hand as she had done before.

She went to the stairs, one hand grasping the railing slightly as she came down. Her parents came into view along with the Doctor, their backs facing her. "When are the guests coming, mum?" she called as she neared the landing.

All three of them turned around. "At six, love," she answered. "That dress looks just lovely on you," she added before turning back to Pete.

The Doctor, however, watched her come to them, eyes wide. "You look even more beautiful than I remember in that dress."

"Probably 'cuz I'm all gussied up."

He grinned. "Are there going to be paparazzi or something of the sort?"

"Prob'ly not, but I wouldn't doubt it either."

He glanced over his shoulder at Jackie and Pete for a moment. "I guess I have a moment to do this," he said, turning back around. Leaning forward, he kissed her sweetly for a few moments before pulling away and wrapping his arm around her back.

Rose poked his bow tie lightly. "I've always liked you in a tux."

"Well," he said, but his sentence stopped there. "I'm not too sure about this bow tie, though."

"I don't know," she started, running her finger across it. "Bow ties are cool."

He paused for a moment. "I guess they are, aren't they?"

She grinned, standing on her toes to kiss him lightly. He squeezed his arm around her waist as she nuzzled her head into his side. Jackie turned around, looking at the couple. "Alright, we ready then?" she asked. As they nodded, she said, "They'll be here any minute." She and Pete left the foyer, the Doctor and Rose following at a distance, giving each other goofy smiles with their arms still around each other.

When the guests finally came, Rose and the Doctor mingled among them, greeting them and starting conversations when necessary. He mostly hung around Rose, hands in the pockets of his jacket as she initiated most of the talking, only joining in when a question or remark was made about him. Some of the guests made comments about the relationship between them after seeing him wrap his arms around her from behind when nobody had approached them, but otherwise it was rather dull for him. He itched to start working on something again; he hadn't tinkered with something in ages.

After an hour or so, he left Rose's side, heading over to a punch bowl set up between the foyer and the bigger dining room downstairs that Jackie utilized when she had guests over. People managed to overlook him as he grabbed a glass, leaning back against the wall and watching the guests as he silently sipped on his drink. Waiters with champagne bottles passed him, going back and forth between the kitchen upstairs. Thoughts ran through his mind quickly, but he still felt like he was going to go crazy without all those voices that had been there before. He had grown used to not having people whispering to him all day, yet there was always that slight discomfort, that unbearable silence. The guests chattering around him filled that silence somewhat, yet it still wasn't near what it was like before.

He wasn't sure how long he had been there when he felt a hand grasp his elbow. "There you are!" he heard Rose say. He turned around to see her wide, amiable brown eyes. "I've been looking all over for you! Where'd you go?"

"Small talk was killing me," he told her. "Needed to sort out my thoughts."

"And what exactly are you thinking about?"

A small smile crossed his face as he brushed back a strand of her hair. "Quite a lot, actually. I never stop thinking."

Rose picked up the hand that had returned to his side, pressing against the side of her face. She closed her eyes, letting out an ardent sigh as he caressed her face, fingers lingering on her skin. As he ran his fingertips across her chin her eyes open again, her chocolate irises swimming with emotion. "It's a bit crowded in here, don't you think?" he asked as he stuffed both hands into the pockets of his tuxedo jacket.

Her lips curved. "You're applying what I think you're applying, right?"

"Depends on what you think I'm applying."

She grinned even wider. "You know what I mean."

He returned the smile, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the stairs. They ran up it, laughing quietly so nobody would see them leaving. They rounded a corner, the hallway an inky black. Nobody was over in this part of the house. They stopped at the far end of it where there was another corner, the Doctor grabbing Rose and gently pushing her against the wall where they couldn't be seen. She bit her lip as her gaze met his. He was shadowy, yet she could see the devilish sparkle in his eyes. He leaned in, kissing her hardly, hands pressed against the wall on either side of her. His lips were eager, on hers for only a few moments before breaking away to kiss the top of her neck. Her breathing became heavy as his hands gripped her waist, fingers squeezing her hips tightly as his lips dug deeper into his skin. She moaned as he ran his lips across her collarbone, stopping at her shoulder. He seemed short of breath himself, hovering over her bare skin as his hand ran down her hip to her leg.

"You look stunning in that dress," he said in a sensual tone. "And you wore my necklace..." His other hand went up to touch the jewels on her necklace before crossing her skin to play with the top of her dress. She tried her best to conceal a moan as he rubbed the hand on her leg against the fabric of her dress. "But, I do have a question..." His eyes fluttered up to meet hers. "How do you look without it?"

"Didn't we cover this in the dressing room?"

"Not all of it."

She sent him a teasing smile, hands slipping around his jacket and pushing it off. He let it fall, a dull thud following the impact of it hitting the floor. Cupping his hands around her face, he kissed her again fervently. She was eager to touch him, to feel his skin against hers. Adrenaline pumped within her as his hands went down to the back of her legs, lifting her dress up as best as he could to feel them.

It was a blur after that. The wall was hard behind her as she gasped for breath. He tried to keep his own cries muted, breathing unsteady as she clawed into the fabric of his shirt. She tried her best to press kisses into the side of her face, but as much as she wanted to she was too caught up in her ecstasy to move. All sort of emotions ran through her: passionate lust, pure joyfulness, powerful love. For once in so long it didn't occur to her that there was another Doctor out there; there was just her and him. There were no aliens, no alternate universes. There was just the feel of him against her, piled fabric at their feet.

As they came near a close, she couldn't help but yell something out. The Doctor had done a much better job keeping quiet when he had come a little while before. With her final cry, he stopped, their breathing heavy. He gave a tired grin as he leaned in and kissed her again. Faces damp with sweat, she let out an exhausted laugh. "Well, how are we supposed to go back now looking like this?"

"Rose Tyler," he said, amused. He picked up his abandoned articles of clothing on the floor.

She sent him a smirk. "We could go tidy up in my bathroom, yeah?"

He nodded, clothes bundled in his arms. "Let's go then."

It took them sometime to emerge. Rose had to fix her hair and makeup, but was interrupted occasionally when the Doctor felt the need to hug her from behind and bury his head into the crook of her neck. She would laugh and tell him to get off of her, but she melted underneath his touch, craving it more and more. When they finally did leave, they went down the stairs silently, music now playing. They meandered through dancing people only to run into Jackie. "Oh, there you two are!" she exclaimed. "Where did you lot run off to?"

"Oh," Rose started slowly, "we just went upstairs to get away from everybody."

Her mother's eyes shifted to the Doctor's hand entwined around Rose's. Looking back up at her daughter, Jackie gave a small smile. "Oh, I see." She winked. "Carry on, then." She left them, Rose's face growing warm.

"She knows," Rose muttered, horrified.

"It's not like we did a bad thing," he said, grabbing her shoulders and turning to face her. "I think they were expecting it. Besides, I enjoyed it." A mischievous grin crossed his face. She couldn't help but smile back.

"You wan'o go grab something to eat then?"

"Lead the way."

* * *

As she walked in from work two days later, she was greeted by a vase of fine snowy flowers. She smiled as she ran her thumb over them, stopping as she spotted the rose. A note rested beside it. Picking it up, she opened it to read two words: _you're marvelous_.


	9. 8: New Home

Toothy smile on her face, she threw out her arms and sighed contently. "Here's our new home!"

The Doctor wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head. "How am I ever supposed to thank your parents? They do so much."

"It's fine," she said, eyeing the painting of flowers hanging on their sky blue wall. "Mum seemed quite excited at the thought of me finally leaving."

"She sure seemed misty-eyed when you left," he remarked as she turned around to look at him. She gave a smug grin before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him lightly, hands loosely gripped around his biceps.

"Mind if I start supper?" she asked him, lowering herself.

"Go right ahead," he responded. "What are you making?"

"I was thinking some type of pasta." The cupboards she was opening blocked out parts of her voice. "What do you think?"

"I love it. I know the most _wonderful_ recipe I learned not too long before I met you, it's quite fantastic. Could I possibly show you?"

She shook her head, waving an arm at the stove. "You go ahead. I think I'll make some of mum's best cookies."

He took charge, Rose assisting him along the way as she worked on her cookies. The noodles were simple enough. The sauce, however took a little more time. Halfway through making the sace, Rose was already finished and took up playfully tossing puffs of flour at him. He sent threatening glances, continually asking her to put it up as it wasn't needed anymore, but she seemed to have too much enjoyment watching him grow paler and paler. As the sauce was simmering, he reached out, grabbing her wrist suddenly as he dug a hand into the bag, throwing a handful right at her face. At the jerk of his hand she closed her eyes, not opening them until she wiped some of the flour away. Her bright irises came into view, colors blending within them. She stared at him for a moment before she started laughing, throwing more flour at him.

A smile breaking across his face, he fought with her, struggling to get her hands pinned down. She tried tugging away, but he had a firm grip around her forearms, holding them to the cupboard. "Le'me go!" she shrieked chipperly.

"You're going to have to make me let go of you," he said in a low voice.

She stared at him for a second before pushing her head forward to kiss him hardly. Caught off guard, it took him a few seconds before he started kissing back, his hands slipping up her arms. He took a few steps closer to her, bodies pressing together as the kiss grew more heated, breathing heavy and hearts pounding. His hands fell off her arms, his fingertips instead running across her tailbone. Goosebumps went up her arms and she embraced him. Their hands roamed across each other, his lips kissing parts of her face furiously. She let out a pleasured sigh before standing on her toes and leaning forward to place her lips on his neck, tenderly pressing a kiss into his skin before sucking at it. Her name bubbled in his throat as a groan he tried keeping back.

Pulling away from him, he went back to kissing her, running his hands down her hamstrings. "Rose," he said again, this time in low growl. She couldn't help but sucumb to him, letting him pull away and run a hand down her front grinning all the while. Everything felt so real and so dreamlike, much as it had at that party a month ago. She was so ready to feel that again and feel worry-free, the thought of the other Doctor not in her mind as she felt him in every aspect.

Her heart stopped suddenly at the thought of the other Doctor. Their last moments together passed through her mind as he ran his lips along her neck, muttering dirty things. As he pulled at her shirt, she was suddenly jerked from her thoughts at the beeping of the stove. He stopped suddenly, hovering over her collarbone for a few moments before lifting his head. Clearing his throat, he sent her a small smile and said, "I guess the sauce is done."

She tried smiling back, but something seemed to prohibit her. Images of her adventures through the stars flew through her memory, the feel of his hand and his expressive eyes constantly there. The night of the party mingled with it, their muffled groans mixing with promises she had made to the other Doctor, her Doctor.

It was suddenly hard to breathe, the world foggy. She looked around, feeling like she was stuck in a horrible dream that she was never going to escape from. Her mind was slipping, ready to die again like she had on that beach. Paralyzing fear overtook her as she gasped for air.

"Rose, are you alright?"

She recoiled at his touch. "Don't touch me!" she snapped. "Don't ever touch me!"

Concern spread across his face. "Rose-"

She sprinted out of the kitchen. The walls were closing around her. She was suffocating, running away from something intangible, an invisible threat. Shaking wildly, she collapsed, the floor beneath her cool as tears ran down the side of her face, eye makeup dripping with it. Hurried footsteps approached from the distance and a few seconds later a pair of feet appeared at the doorway. Her sobs drowned out the sound of the Doctor's-no, the copy of the Doctor's-voice as he knelt beside her. He put a hand out, his fingers sliding through her hair as he continued murmuring things to her.

As seconds ticked by, the world became clearer, crying slowing down to silent sniffles. "It's going to be okay Rose," he was saying, "you're going to be fine."

She felt fizzled out as she slowly sat up with wobbly arms. "I got you," he said as he hugged her waist with on hand.

"I'm sorry," she said, refusing to look at him. "I- I haven't had an attack in months."

"An attack?"

"They stopped a bit before you came. Thinking about you, or the other you at least, triggers it. I thought I had it under control."

Questions persisted in his mind but he kept them back, preferring to keep her calm. As he helped her stand up, one of the questions slipped: "You were thinking about him?"

She squeezed her eyes shut. He regretted it instantly, helping her out of the bathroom she had fallen in and to a sofa. Laying her down, he stroked back her hair. "Do you want to eat something? The sauce was saved."

One eye opened before she threw her hands over her face. "Your sauce. I ruined tonight, didn't I?"

"No, you didn't," he answered, voice firmer. "You did absolutely nothing wrong. I'll go get you some of that pasta."

She tried relaxing as he left the room, but her breathing was still shallow. Inside she was jittery, trying to repress any thoughts she had. He came back into the room with two plates, handing one to her while he sat down next to the couch with the other.

"Are you sitting down there?" she asked him.

"Yes."

She sighed. "You can sit up here, you know. I'll move."

"No, just lay right there. I can stay."

She rolled her eyes, starting with her dinner. It was quiet, the Doctor staring up at her as if she would spiral back into unreasonable panic again. She enjoyed the food he had made, and she made sure he knew that to keep him reassured she wasn't thinking about anything she shouldn't be. As they finished, he took both of their plates back into the kitchen, come back with a tray of the cookies she had made. A grin crossing her face, she grabbed one and took a small bite.

"These are fantastic," he told her. "Why didn't your mum ever make these in all that time I was there?"

"I dunno. She hasn't made them in a while, I guess. Not since..." She ducked her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

After a few moments of silence, he took a breath and began, "Rose, you mean the world to me. I never want to do anything that makes you feel... bad. Don't be afraid to ask me to stop, okay?" She stayed quiet. "Okay?" He exhaled as she nodded slowly. "Good. Now, let's watch a movie."

They spent the rest of the night on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket in the darkness of their living room. They only paid attention for half the time, the other part spent talking and giggling until she fell asleep against him. He didn't move, only waited for sleep to take him as well.

* * *

It wasn't until days later she got a bouquet. It was set upon the small table they had, eleven baby blue hydrangeas surrounding one red rose. As she ran her finger around the rim of the glass, she couldn't help but give a sad smile.


End file.
